AROUND THE WORLD IN THE "ISLANDER"
THE "DEW POND" IS A NOVELTY FOR DESERT ISLANDS
On the summit of Green Mountain, which rises for nearly 3,000 feet above Ascension
Island, is a shallow pool, around which a thicket of bamboos has been planted to condense the
clouds and fog (see text, page 199).
breakwater and came to anchor at Cris
t6bal, in the Canal Zone. The Islander
had put another ocean behind.
At Crist6bal my ship was turned into
a motor boat, with the addition of an
outboard motor loaned by a photographer
who accompanied me on an excursion to
places of historic interest in the vicinity.
The motor was retained while passing
through the Panama Canal.
For the purpose of going through the
canal the Islander was rated at five tons,
and the charges were $5 for measuring
and $3.75 canal toll.
A friend came along to act as engineer,
and the Islander, along with the steamer
Orinoco, passed into the locks to be lifted
up into Gatun Lake. For a few days she
lay at anchor at Gatun, while I watched
the procession of great ships passing
through the canal. Then I had a delight
ful sail among the green islands of Gatun
Lake to Gamboa, where I was again
joined by the engineer, who coaxed the
motor into life. Another run as a motor
boat brought the Islander down through
the locks and Miraflores Lake at Balboa,
at the Pacific end of the canal.
At Balboa I met Alain Gerbault, a
Frenchman who had come single-handed
from the Mediterranean in his cutter, the
Firecrest. It was interesting to compare
the cutter rig of his craft with the yawl
rig of mine.
There is much of interest to be seen
on one's first visit to the Canal Zone, but
eventually I made ready for sea again.
The Islander was beached and care
fully examined. Apparently she was as
sound as when she sailed on the long voy
age. Another coat of copper paint was
spread over her bottom, for there was still
a long voyage ahead; her best suit of
sails was bent on and ample stores taken
on board.
To the west of Panama, Central Amer
ica, and the Mexican coast is a vast region
of light winds and calms, varied by
squalls of wind and rain. Of this region
the sailing directions say: "The passage
to the westward during the rainy season
is a tedious affair. It often occurs that
201